I just spent more time than you’d think recording these (ie longer than three minutes). I used all two-and-a-half of my accents and I also wore a different wig, moustache and brassiere for each character. They’re submissions for next year’s Rouch Cuts Podcasts from The Comedy Unit. Will they get in? Will they? Or will they?
Archive for the ‘sketches’ Category
Alchemy
July 26, 2011
Over August I will be writing and performing in Brown Eyed Boy‘s Alchemy sketch show in Edinburgh. The gist is that a bunch of writers/performers/stand ups get together on a Thursday, bringing scripts and ideas. We have a big read-through, vote on the sketches/ideas we like the best, and somehow on the Saturday night we produce a brand-new ninety-minute live sketch show. It’s crazy exhilarating, and so much fun. Basically, it’s the sort of show I’ve dreamed of doing for years. I am a bit chuffed to have lucked into it.
We’ve done it twice already and the shows have been really strong, but next month is when shit gets real ‘cos we’re doing it for a paying audience throughout the fringe. And there’ll be guest presenters each night, and some of them will be off the telly. Telly people! The best kind of people! Susan Calman hosted the last two – she was brilliant and really got involved in the writing process. Her musical version of the life of Rosa Klebb was something to behold.
Fancy coming along? You’ll find details here. Hopefully see you there!
Heavy Petting
May 29, 2011
It’s a new sketch group with me, Mark Lund, Tim Marshall and Danielle Boucher. We’ve had two rehearsals and one performance and so far it’s going rather well.
The plan is to do live stuff, then move on to filming sketches, then get on telly, then break America, and then go into space and have adventures. We’re on track!
Anyway, come and see us. We’re bang on trend.
John & Will’s “Animal Choices”
March 28, 2011In this clip, Tim and Eric are played by Will Ferrell and John C Reilly.
It’s very Tim and Ericky – funny, odd, unsettling and a bit too long.
Limmy’s Show
March 11, 2010Have you been watching this, from BBC Scotland? I love it. It’s not necessarily hilarious, but it’s warm, distinctive and personal and this clip shows what shading of depth, meaning and chuckleage can be achieved within a simple three minute desk sketch.
“I don’t wanna be here any more.” Sweet.
Pre-Taped Call In Show
November 8, 2009David Cross is, as ever, brilliant in this odd and slightly confusing little sketch from Mr Show.
Sketchy Future
October 25, 2009I had a nice day in Leeds yesterday, meeting up with a few comedy writers and performers, and in a room above a pub we took the first baby steps towards starting a working sketch group with the aim of performing stuff live, maybe doing an Edinburgh show in 2010 and then… well, taking over the world with our amusing skits and vignettes, obviously.
There seems to be a diverse mix of styles in the bunch, both in writing and performing, so hopefully something interesting will come of it. At the very least it’ll be good to be take control of the process again, and do stuff for ourselves, as those of us who’ve written (or tried writing) for telly have got a bit sick of the ball ache (or the lady equivalent) of trying to please people who don’t appear to know what they want. We know exactly what we want: to be funny.
Anyway, it’s early days yet, but it’s quite exciting nonetheless.
Architect Sketch – Monty Python
October 6, 2009Why I like this sketch: it’s ramshackle. From Graham Chapman’s (presumably booze-related) line flubbing, to Eric Idle’s building prop not working properly (watch his right hand at around the 3.30 mark), it’s the rough edges which give Python a lot of its charm for me. Plus you get a great John Cleese tantrum and I learned the word “sedentary” from this sketch. It’s edutainment.
I also like it cos it’s funny, and cos I think a lot of buildings could be improved by the addition of rotating knives.
Funny or…
September 16, 2009
This man is in hiding after ruining my punchline
You can see it here: Selling Out
It’s not too bad, as far as it goes, although it doesn’t so much end as just stop, cos they couldn’t use the punchline I wrote due to music clearance issues.
Basically, Robbie Williams ruined my sketch. How many people can say that? I feel almost privileged.
Apart from lopping off the last 20 seconds, the only other change they made was swapping the word “mint” for the word “sick”, which I assume is what kids these days say when they want to say something’s good. But “sick” is, like “bad”, the opposite of good! I just don’t understand those crazy kids! I’m so out of touch!
Still, all in all the sketch is “terrible” (that means “good”, right kids?).
Help the Police
September 1, 2009
Cos they’ll tickle you until you’re giggly.
Adam Buxton writes and performs a good-natured sketch using a bad-natured song. I love it. I love you, Adam Buxton.
In fact, to tie up the last couple of day’s posts thematically, here’s a clip of Adam Buxton talking disarmingly frankly about his experience with magic mushrooms. His sincerity and honesty turn an already funny story into something sublime. Just the tonic for a sad Tuesday. (The clip also features Bonnie Tyler, her from 2 posts down. I don’t just throw this thing together, you know*.)
Don’t go to university kids, it’s fucking disastrous!
If you don’t listen to the Adam & Joe show on BBC 6 Music of a Saturday morning, you are dead to me.**
* Not true
**You’re not really. I love you just the same.
